Is the square ground a strategic territory?

 If not, why do the police officers prevent the attempt to organize a rally there?

 Yesterday at the “View” club member of the “Heritage” faction Armen Martirossyan said, “I am grateful to our police officers, because they did not find any weapons, any ammunition or any A-bombs and even any sticks on us and nobody, even they can say that this rally was not peaceful and non-violent. I also want to thank the people shooting videos on the behalf of the police, whose videos undoubtedly show that I said that they violated the law and they had no right to unlawfully touch a parliament member, a citizen.” He underlined that he had not made any move, which would have provoked the police officers to act unlawfully.

To prove that the police officers were acting unlawfully Armen Martirossyan read the following clauses of the law on conducting meetings, assemblies, rallies and manifestations: “It is prohibited to stage meetings, assemblies and rallies on bridges, in tunnels, underground areas and safety belts of energy facilities, water systems, railways and airports.” The law also prohibits “the organization and convention of such public events aim to forcibly overthrow the constitutional order, instigate national, racial or religious hatred, campaign for violence or war”. After reading all of this, Mr. Martirossyan asked to clarify, “Is the Republican square a territory of strategic interest, and is it a territory assumed by this law or these regulations. Which one of these 10-15 women called for religious, racial or forcible actions? If they demand a right to earn their living from the government what law prohibits that?”

The “Heritage” faction secretary Larissa Alaverdyan said, “You know that OSCE holds seminars and carries out projects with the police. Most probably they haven’t yet reached at those seminars and projects the point of learning that the police officers must understand that there does not exist the Soviet regime anymore and the police forces are responsible for the whole different actions according to the law.” Vahan Hovhannissyan the leader of the ARF (the Armenian Revolutionary Federation) faction reflected on the same issue at the briefings taken place yesterday at the National Assembly hinting at the interview which deputy chief of Yerevan police gave to the “Outline” TV program, “I know that some of the police heads made TV speeches. I myself haven’t seen those, but as I realize even the police has started to teach lessons to the public about what one can say about the government, what one can demand from the government and what he cannot. The police officers have started to make political assessments of the developments taking place. This is probably because they are not aware of the constitution and laws, since the task of the police is not to teach lessons to the public, but to enforce law and order.” He also added, “What we saw evidently shows that they allowed themselves much more than they were entitled to and those speeches prove this. Probably there are a few people at the police, that think their public role is strictly political and they can make assessments and evaluate the attitude of this and that political power. E.g., they give advices even to us that we hurried with making statement. One cannot help but ask who the hell are you?”

Yesterday the RPA (the Republican Party of Armenia) parliament member Artak Zakaryan tried to justify the violence telling to Neonews.am, “During the march a man referred to a police officer using dirty language and called for not obeying and not abiding by orders.” Armen Martirossyan said about this that he should ask to show any videos, where “I call for violating the law.” I want to mention that at the briefing the RPA faction leader Galust Sahakyan made another assessment public, “It is a pity that such events take place. The parliamentarians are annoyed and think despite the circumstances the parliament members should be treated accordingly.”

P.S. Ex-open-air vendors Narine Vardanyan and Heghine Poghossyan attended the “Heritage” party interview and showed their RPA membership cards. “I am a Republican. Today the “Heritage” party parliament member stands by my problem. The parliament member I chose does not give a damn about me”, said Narine Vardanyan.